The Odd Fellows and Freemasons: Different Paths to the Same Goal

I’m not an Odd Fellow. I’m a Freemason. You’re probably wondering what in the world I’m doing here. Well, let me tell you how I came to be here. It’s an interesting story.

I’m the Worshipful Master of Homer Lodge No. 199 in Homer, Illinois—that’s the same as a Noble Grand in the Odd Fellows. During my term as Master, I want to try and make our meetings a little more interesting by adding an education component to each and every one of our regular meetings. Sometimes as Freemasons, we get so involved with our business meetings (reading minutes and hearing committee reports) we sometimes forget why we’re supposed to be there to begin with. The purpose of Freemasonry is to make good men better. We strive to improve our character, to learn to live a more virtuous and moral life, and as a result of these improvements to ourselves, we become better husbands, fathers, citizens, and community leaders.

There are Masonic libraries full of writings about Freemasonry, but sadly, other than the lessons and allegories from our ritual initiation ceremonies, many of our Masonic Lodges these days have gotten away from teaching the application of these principles into our daily lives. There’s been a real push to bring those teachings back. That’s what I wanted to introduce into our meetings at Homer Lodge—some deeper discussion into the self-improvement aspects of Freemasonry, the history, the esoteric teachings, and the symbolism found in our ritual traditions.

It occurred to me while I was scheduling speakers and topics for discussion, that there might be lessons the Odd Fellows and the Freemasons could learn from each other. When I’d mentioned the possibility of inviting the Odd Fellows to join us during one of our meetings, it was obvious there was a great deal of curiosity amongst Freemasons about the Odd Fellows. Our members were interested to see where our two organizations are the same, and where they are different.

So we invited Ainslie Heilich, the Noble Grand of Tuscola Odd Fellows Lodge No. 316 to join us one evening in July to talk about the Odd Fellows. As it turns out, our organizations are very similar in some areas, and very different in others. Both modern Freemasonry and the Odd Fellows came into existence around the same time, the 18th century, and both came from the workers guilds—the Freemasons worked in stone, and the Odd Fellows were the “general contractors” of their time. Both groups made a transition from being “operative” craftsmen to “speculative” craftsmen—as Freemasons will often say, we stopped building structures, and started building communities. However, what we learned from Ainslie was that Freemasons and Odd Fellows have very different means of achieving a very similar goal.

The Odd Fellows put the emphasis on service—doing good works in their community. Through the performance of good works the Odd Fellows improve the world they live in, and improve their character through the process of giving of themselves.

The Freemasons on the other hand put the emphasis on self-improvement first—as the ancient stonemasons did in shaping stones, we work to create in ourselves a perfect stone for building by knocking off the rough and superfluous parts of our character. In the Freemason tradition, charity and public service are the nature result of character and leadership development.

Now that’s a bit of an oversimplification, but what the Freemasons and the Odd Fellows do have in common is a desire to make the world a better place through our contributions to it. The Freemasons and the Odd Fellows have a long history of attracting industrious individuals, and in building strong communities.

A couple weeks after the Odd Fellows visited us at our Masonic Lodge, I found myself climbing the steps of Tuscola Odd Fellows Lodge No. 316 with my two principle officers. We were given the grand tour, and we learned as much from Ainslie about the Odd Fellows as I hope we taught him about the Freemasons during his visit. And all three of us petitioned to be members of the Tuscola Odd Fellows Lodge. I’m looking forward to learning as much about the Odd Fellows as I have about the Freemasons.

There’s a lot of talk these days that organizations such as ours are slowly dying out, and one day in the not-so-distant future, we’ll be relegated to the ash heap of history. I don’t believe that for one minute. All you have to do is visit lodges like Homer Masonic Lodge No. 199 or Tuscola Odd Fellows Lodge No. 316 to see that our ancient societies are very much alive and well.

There will always be in our society, that small group of individuals who are willing to serve the greater good. Those individuals who don’t just talk about making the world a better place, but actually roll up their sleeves and get to work to make it so.

And in that, the Freemasons and the Odd Fellows aren’t so different after all.

~TEC

Todd E. Creason is an award winning Masonic researcher and writer. He is the founder of The Midnight Freemasons blog. He has written several books on the subject of Freemasonry and published articles in numerous Masonic magazines and journals.

I was a in a blue lodge and i didnt enjoyed it like i have as a member of the oddfellows i have been a member for 28 years and have held every office in my state. I belive in each order and think. There are good orders. Than them for all they are doing for people. . but i love my brother and sister in both orders but it hard to get young members because they have some many thing and people pull them from joining great orders like the oddfellows and masonship. I hate it everytime i hear of a charter being give uo because other member blood and sweat to keep it going. So please let join together for the good of everybody. Our teaches are about the same and mean the same in god eyes . just think about this and see how you truly feel thank
In f.l.t.

As being both Odd Fellow and Freemason I found this article most interesting and accurate. Unlike in the US here in Finland I’m happy to tell you: In both organizations membercount is rising year after year. 🙂

I have been trying to do the same in Fort Wayne as Master of Wayne No. 25 F. & A.M this year. but the Odd Fellows have proven to be really hard to contact. I have been trying to reach out to anyone in the area connected to Harmony No. 19 in Fort Wayne for several month without success. I will keep trying though and if anyone here can help make contact I would greatly appreciate it.

It is good that Freemasons themselves are beginning to write about Odd Fellows to clarify some misconceptions. There are Masons who failed to do further research study and easily assumed that the Odd Fellows is a part of Freemasonry or accuse it as a copy. The accusations that the Odd Fellows is a copy of Freemasonry only began in 1840’s when both Orders competed for membership. In 1840’s, a Committee of Masons-Odd Fellows was formed to study this claim. They compared the degrees and rituals of both Orders. Conclusions showed a negative finding because the degrees of Odd Fellows and Freemasons are very different, etc. I have written one article to further clarify this topic: http://oddfellowsorder.blogspot.com/2011/01/odd-fellows-freemasons-modern-insight.html

Published by Ainslie

Ainslie is a Tattoo Artist and co-owns Vintage Karma in Tuscola, IL.
He is an Odd Fellow and founding member and Past Grand of Tuscola #316 which is right above the tattoo studio. Ainslie is also a member of Owl Creek Rebekah #91, Champaign Encampment #68, and Zonar Canton #18, all of Fisher, IL. He is also on the Grand Lodge of IL IOOF Web Committee and the Sovereign Grand Lodge Communications Committee and built/maintains their websites and Facebook Pages and is a founder of the Heart in Hand blog.
When he is not tattooing or Odd Fellowing he built/maintains the official website and Facebook page for guitarist G.E. Smith and helps keep the fans connected.
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